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 Replies: 13 / Views: 1,590 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7276 Posts |
Yep, now I know, but it happened. I cleaned a few wheats a year ago, I'm not selling them, but I don't like the way they look, although in a year they have toned better than I expected. None are what you would call Key Dates, but I was wondering is there anything I can do to restore the toning? Or will I just need time. In 1 year they look pretty nice, so I'm thinking in a few more they will look better. I was almost tempted to put them in a sock drawer, but short of that, anything I can do?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
How about some pics to start?  to the CCF! |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7276 Posts |
Sure, but I have to post tomorrow. Its late and the dog needs a walk and the light is bad (my other hobby is photography).
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Moderator
 United States
34402 Posts |
Pics will certainly help, but depending on how you cleaned them, even naturally re-toned surfaces may still show evidence of your youthful indiscretion. A description of your cleaning process could be helpful.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7276 Posts |
I wish it was I dipped them in acetone, nope these were dipped in vinegar and salt for a few days and then put into transmission fluid to remove any verdigris. The coins were circulated and really dark, that's why I decided to "clean" them.
In case you are wondering, the way to treat meteorites (yes I seem to have a few hobbies) is to store them in transmission fluid as TF has rust inhibiting qualities. Hence why I "cleaned" the wheats that way. This wasn't a lot, just of few that look like they got some type of environmental coating. They were stored in a metal container. The cleaning worked, it removed the crud on them along with the toning.
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Moderator
United States
34402 Posts |
Ok well, you didn't scrub them mechanically did you? Maybe the surfaces were just stripped...
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7276 Posts |
I did rinse them off in acetone and did a light pat with a towel. Vast majority lost the toning a few I see hairlines but these were probably cleaned before. I think the crud was some kind of reaction as these were my dads and he had them in aluminum foil with silver coins inside a tin box. At least these (and the black silver coins) were saved my mom spent all the nice "shiny" silver ones. I'll post pictures tomorrow but after looking at them maybe just a few years will return the tone back. Let's see tomorrow if I just need to wait or is there another solution.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7021 Posts |
Hey guys, what about just leaving them in the direct sunlight for however long...?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7276 Posts |
I did leave them on a sunny window for a few weeks, I wasn't rotating them so one side was getting darker than the other so I had to rotate them everyday. That seems to have worked, I'm just now trying to get an even color back. Sunny windows seem to darken really quick with uneven toning if not careful.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7276 Posts |
Ok some pictures. These were cleaned about 6 months ago. They were wrapped in foil in a tin box with silver coins. The silver coins I ended up selling for the melt value (some were in XF shape) but black with tarnish. The pennies turned the pink brown color originally. After a few weeks being rotated in a sunny window this is what they look like, as you can see there are areas that are toning better. So what can I do to get to tone evenly? Or just use them as pennies and spend them?   |
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Moderator
United States
188213 Posts |
Keep them in your pocket for a year or two and they will probably go back to a normal look.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3323 Posts |
I've certainly seen vinegar coins that look much worse than these. But, a couple of them have permanent damage - not necessarily from the cleaning, but from environmental attack. All in all, not awful.
"Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10635 Posts |
OK, I'll bite... "In case you are wondering, the way to treat meteorites (yes I seem to have a few hobbies) is to store them in transmission fluid as TF has rust inhibiting qualities" I too collect meteorites, and I'd never ever treat them this way. Just like coins, natural patina adds character. Besides collecting cars, I'd recommend never cleaning anything. Just my two pennies, err, Two Cents. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Place a pine board on the window sill and place coins on that.
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Replies: 13 / Views: 1,590 |
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Posted 08/21/2019 8:26 pm
